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Caleb Flint of Wine Merchants in WS offered me a bottle of Amity Vineyards White Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2017 for an honest review. We are grateful for the opportunity (and the wine). All opinions are my own.

My favorite kind of wine is red wine. And of the reds, my favorite has been Pinot Noir. And no that has nothing to do with the film, Sideways. 😀 . Though a Malbec sometimes does sometimes hit the spot. I also do try to support NC Wine as much as possible but I do like to change up. So when Wine Merchants talked about a White Pinot Noir, I was intrigued. After grabbing a bottle, I took a little time and meal planning for when to enjoy it. Mr. foodie and I like wine, but we have two kiddos at home and sometimes we can’t just open a bottle up and enjoy. And we rarely finish a bottle between the two of us in one night. Plus, I wanted to have a mushroom pasta dish. I am particular like that.

Then the night came. Opened up a bottle of the White Pinot on a pasta night. I enjoyed a glass while cooking. What we found was a lightly fruity, very clean wine with body that drinks quite easily alone and is wonderful with pasta, cheese and poultry and particularly, mushrooms. Bonus points if you can manage that in one dish, which we did (a browned butter balsamic mushroom sauce over ravioli with grilled chicken). The photo of the dish didn’t come out well. But I’ll make it again and share the recipe.

The wine went perfectly. I have a feeling this is going to be in the regular rotation.

i see you

White Pinot Noir is gaining in popularity but is still considered somewhat “rare” compared to other varietals. it takes a special process because Pinot Noir grapes are obviously red. This is an excerpt from VinePair.

To make white wine from red grapes, winemakers take careful steps to ensure that there is minimum contact, or maceration, between the pre-fermented must and color-giving grape skins. To eliminate maceration for white Pinot, only a small amount of the grape’s juice can be fermented into white wine.Free-run juice is released when grapes are piled, and their skins break under their own weight. In white winemaking, this produces the highest quality wines because there’s minimal contact with bitter skins and seeds. Free-run juice, and occasionally must from a very light pressing, are used to make Blanc de Noirs still wines.

White Pinot Noir also listed as Pinot Noir Blanc or Blanc de Noirs. In Winston-Salem, you can find Amity Vineyards for about $25 at Wine Merchants & Vin 205 Wine Bar at 205 S. Stratford Rd. in Winston-Salem. (336) 765-8175.

By the way, if you haven’t been to Wine Merchants or the bistro next door, get yourself over there. The restaurant is one of the most underrated spots in all of the Triad. Read about them here. Site of 2 Chef’s Tables! That’s how good.

Children get Disney. What’s my adventure land? A beautiful little restaurant that has a little market inside so I can order food, shop while I wait, or just swing in and shop, seeing something new every time. Look!

That’s Canteen Market & Bistro. Billed as a gourmet market and dining experience, you have no doubt of its intended function as soon as you breeze in. Plus there’s a beautiful, communal bar right in the center to ground the entire gleaming 6,000 square foot space. It’s dreamy. Heaven I tell you!

The business, opened in September, is the love child of Claire Calvin and Eric Swaim, (I’m sorry if that sounds awkward). She of The Porch Kitchen and Cantina and Swaim, her neighbor at Hoots Roller Bar and Beer Co at West End Millworks. The two had talked for a couple of years about opening up an urban market. When the space at 411 West 4th Street, also known as Commerce Plaza, became available, it was originally conceptualized by the property owners as a fine dining restaurant. But Claire and her dream of a downtown market with a distinct urban feel could not be dissuaded. “This space would be too big just a market or just a restaurant but altogether, it just works.”

I have to agree. The market side of the restaurant features staples like pasta and sauces, some on the higher end, but still budget friendly for a night “in,” as well as local sauces like Ya’ll Sauce, made in Winston-Salem, and international sauces, mustards, grits, gourmet crackers, bread mixes, jams, jellies, endless varieties of pickles, you name it.

Mr. foodie will tell you that I get positively giddy in places like Canteen.

Claire says they’re just getting started and happily takes suggestions for fun items to add. During my visit there, she had to step away to help a customer who had a request for a product not on the shelves but Claire took note of it…the customer also had her arms full. She had come for one thing (don’t we all) and appeared to need a basket. Claire hastily retrieved a mini-cart. We joked that her budget was no longer limited by what she could carry in her arms and she went on her way. So helpful!

In the back, the dining area sits adjacent to a beautifully curated wine and beverage area,called “The Cellar,” with hard to find boutique wines, fortified and specialty styles, and local and international craft beer, kombucha, coffee and artisanal mixers featuring companies that have a story to tell.

Eric and the bev team put a great deal of thought into the beverage program. The large communal space features the obligatory craft cocktail menu. For beer, there’s a NC focus behind the bar, with everything on draft while the cooler includes beers from around the world. And the wine at the bar boasts a relatively new, tap concept.“All wine by the glass is all being poured draft. It eliminates waste and ensures freshness, which is something we really wanted to commit to. When it’s on draft, there’s no light and no oxygen to make it go bad. It’s the perfect temperature for white and for red and gives you control over your pour,” he says. “It’s very concise at the bar with a trip around the world in the back.”

In front, the kitchen is where Chef Chris Almand, formerly of West End Cafe, is making menu items for the bistro for dine-in and take home and the pastry chef is making the sweet treats. The refrigerator case is stocked with local pimento cheese, goat cheese, deli items…items a customer can run in and grab to go for a quick snack or lunch on the run. Calvin says the menu will change often to reflect what is in season and what is available from their partner farm, Whit Acres.

This restaurant and market is already seeing tons of support from the local restaurant community. It’s getting some much deserved attention. Y’all check it out!

Canteen will have an official grand opening this weekend featuring market samples, wine tastings, demonstrations and giveaways. Visit their social media for more details.

Wanna Go? Canteen Market and Bistro is located at 411 West Fourth Street, Winston-Salem. Hours are Monday-Sunday 10am-10pm.

I feel like I wasn’t fully prepared for The Bistro at Adams Farm. My foodies have been holding out on me. I’ve heard of The Bistro, LOVED and blogged about sister restaurant, Crafted, in Downtown Greensboro and appreciated that Chef Kristina Fuller had participated in last year’s Fire in the Triad Competition. Why did it take so long to visit?

The Bistro is located inconspicuously in the Adams Farm Shopping Center. It’s nestled between a larger restaurant and who knows what else. But when you walk inside, you get the true experience of a bistro. The chalkboard on the wall says it all:

Bistro:(bee-stroh) A small cafe usually serving modest, down-to-earth, food and wine

The Bistro at Adams Farm IS small and down-to-earth. The ambiance and decor are tasteful and beautiful. Red walls, art, elegant lighting and dark wood just sort of make you feel relaxed and ready for what’s to come. Yet it is still casual and we all felt very comfortable in our jeans.

The Bar

First we got down to business and ordered a few adult beverages. After all, it’s Friday and the wine glasses were so lonely and needed filling.

You can help yourself to extra with those darling little wine carafes

Chef Kristina Fuller’s New American menu is very innovative and full of fusion entrees inspired by Asian and Southern cuisine. From the appetizers, there’s Lobster Mac & Cheese, Mussels, Ribs, Tuna and our choice, Sweet Potato Chips, topped with pulled pork, chipotle aioli and scallions. It was so simple with those 4 ingredients and a good size for 2-3 to share. Amazing.

Sweet Potato Chips with pulled pork, chipotle aioli & scallions

The Perfect Bite

We need to speak about the bread. Yes, bread. Pretty much EVERYTHING at The Bistro is made in house. The bread is no exception. And the servers like to have a little fun with the olive oil dipping sauce. The bread was to die for and the olive oil was filled with wonderful fresh herbs but also pink peppercorns and capers. And it was DELISH!!

After much discussion we finally decided on our entrees. I ordered the recommended Grouper, which was wrapped in kelp and served with vegetable dumplings in a citrus soy broth and fried tofu. It was fresh and herbaceous. Beautiful to look at and just the perfect size portion.

Mr. foodie decided on the roast chicken. Now typically, we steer away from roast chicken. I mean it can be so EVERY day. But this was not your mundane roast chicken. It was served with Singapore street noodles (rice noodles) and served with shredded vegetables in a curry sauce. I got a taste and it was awesome. Mr. foodie loved it so much because the skin was rendered to complete crispiness and the inside was still moist. It was totally refined, classed up Asian noodle yumminess.

Roast Chicken with Singapore street noodles

Mom-in-law foodie loves her fried calamari so she ordered the appetizer plus the Caesar salad. Chef Fuller’s take on this classic is lightly grilled romaine hearts, house-made croutons, shaved parmesan BUT with roasted tomatoes and fresh red onion on top. It was plated with a rich balsamic drizzle. Beautiful to look at and very tasty. And the calamari was wonderful, crispy and tender and served with 2 sauces…a sweet soy chili sauce and my favorite, the coconut aioli. I recognize it from Crafted. Chef Fuller, you need to find a way to market that aioli.

Caesar Salad as art

Calamari

At this point, we should’ve stopped. I was full already. And then our amazing server, Frankie, offered us the tiniest little sample of the house-made Chocolate Mousse and Pistachio ice cream and then we decided, “what the heck, let’s just share a dessert!” Foodies, the creme brûlée with it’s maple and 5 spices was seriously beckoning me. It just sounded so different. When it came to the table I exclaimed (not in a complaining way) that it was too tiny. The size was fine. I just realized to share it would mean someone was going to have to sacrifice some of their bites for me :). Dizzyingly good!

Perfectly precious Maple & 5 Spice Creme Brulee

It was all remarkable and I really was a fan of the pistachio ice cream and the little cinnamon wontons offered a nice crunch. The ice cream was so dense it was almost like frozen custard.

After all that indulgence, we hung out a bit. We spoke with Chef Fuller about her travels and the challenges and fun of co-owning (with mom, Rhonda) 2 growing restaurants and her passion for quality ingredients, local purveyors and bringing an experience to every diner. The Bistro features special events with half price wine nights, Taco Tuesday and live music several nights a week.

Chef Kristina Fuller

Throughout the entire evening we saw Chef Fuller in the kitchen, out in the dining room visiting patrons and generally being hands-on. Foodies, we need to keep a sharp eye out on this young talent. And what she’s done with The Bistro at (of all places) Adams Farm is bring a cozy and intimate cafe in an area that needed something just like it. The Bistro might have one of the best atmospheres the foodies have ever experienced…it’s quiet and small but everyone is just relaxed and talking. Chef Fuller has also hired a friendly and engaging staff that spoils you. We really didn’t want to leave. But, as it is now one of triadfoodies TOPS in Greensboro, we will be back.